In the Media

Friday, May 6, 2011 - seattlepi.com

The UW's soon-to-be president Michael Young clerked for conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist, worked as a trade expert under the first President Bush and is descended from Latter Day Saints pioneers.

Does this make him such a bad guy?

Nope, but it'll be a test of whether Seattle really is a bastion of "diversity" and "inclusiveness."

Friday, May 6, 2011 - Crosscut.com

As a participant on the Presidential Search Committee for a new leader at the University of Washington, I feel I'm in a good position to address a controversy about the need for confidentiality in such searches, even in public universities.

Thursday, May 5, 2011 - The (Everett) Herald

State lawmakers Wednesday considered various ways of ending corporate tax breaks to help balance the state budget but didn't agree to pursue any of them right away.

People paraded in front of the Senate Ways and Means Committee for more than two hours voicing their views on three measures aimed at generating hundreds of millions of dollars in new tax revenues in the next two years.

Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, speaking before the hearing, said he knows Republicans oppose the measures and pushing them could damage relations that wrought passage of a rare bipartisan budget in the Senate.

Thursday, May 5, 2011 - The Bellingham Herald

Changes are coming to Western Washington University, with some programs, majors and departments under ex-amination for restructuring or elimination.

On Wednesday, May 4, university officials released a long list of possible ways to permanently reduce the budget starting with the 2011-12 school year. Among the ideas are eliminating positions, combining majors and restructuring departments.

Western officials are bracing for deep cuts, another step in the process that has been happening for the last three years as the state struggles financially. According to University President Bruce Shepard, the net cut to the university’s operating budget for the current biennium and 2011-13 is expected to be about 13 percent; overall state support of the university is expected to be well below 50 percent.

Thursday, May 5, 2011 - The Seattle University Spectator

Apparently Pear Harbor, 911, and the JFK assassination were all inside jobs. At least that is what many were speculating and emphatically agreeing with during one of the many informal conversations at the Northwest Socialist Conference.

The conference itself was somewhat difficult to find; there were no obvious signs directing people to the conference, and the room in which it was held was just a fairly simple lecture hall. However, the room managed to completely fill up with enthusiastic listeners and passionate speakers all ready and willing to promote the change they believe the world needs. Topics included and generally surrounded the events in the Middle East, the protests in Wisconsin, and the need for change.

Thursday, May 5, 2011 - The Bellingham Herald

North Cascades Institute and REI are sponsoring a talk with Richard Louv, author of "The Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder," at 7 p.m. Friday, May 13, at Sehome High School, 2700 Bill MacDonald Parkway. There's a $5 suggested donation.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - Cascadia Weekly

Sunday night’s Canadian Broadcasting Corporation coverage of the killing of Osama Bin Laden was every bit as fervent as that of networks in the United States, illustrating the complexities of the relationship between our two countries. Depending on the situation, we may stand together as one or squabble like siblings over minor issues.

While most people in our area are vaguely aware of the highlights of the relationship with our neighbor to the north—the longest “unfortified” border in the world, 200,000 crossings every day, billions in annual business back and forth—since 9/11 the local perception of the border among many is that it’s just too much trouble to go to Canada.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - The (Everett) Herald

A windfall of revenue from delinquent taxpayers provided a jolt of good news Tuesday that may speed up a deal on a new state budget.

Gov. Chris Gregoire announced thousands of businesses paid $321 million in back taxes through a just-completed amnesty program, four times greater than what she and lawmakers anticipated only weeks ago.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - The Bellingham Herald

It's great to hear about local business owners moving forward with expansion plans, especially during this challenging economic climate.

That's what Wendy and John DeFreest have been busy doing the past few months. The owners of the three Bellingham Avenue Bread cafés recently added a facility at 2020 Humboldt St. (in the Sunnyland neighborhood) to establish a commercial bakery.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - Sky Valley Chronicle

There are few things in life as frightening as being in the midst of a major earthquake. They often begin as a low vibration, a feel and a sound as though a large truck is rumbling by outside a house or office.

Quickly they escalate into a fierce, deadly freight train of a roar with violent shaking of buildings and everything in them. At times within the shaking the earth itself heaves upward and down as though the entire planet was one large rolling wave.

It is at such times that many people realize – perhaps for the first time - they have no real control over their lives; that "control" is simply a temporary illusion created by nature during the times nature chooses not to be on a rampage.